A cut sheet is the set of instructions that tells us exactly how you want your hog processed, cut, and packaged. Reviewing your options ahead of time makes drop-off faster and ensures you get exactly what you want.
When you drop off your hog, we'll go over your cut sheet together. It covers every major section — which cuts you want, how thick, whether you'd like anything smoked, and what to do with the rest.
If you've never filled one out before, don't worry. We'll walk you through it. This page previews the choices you'll be making so you can think through your preferences ahead of time.
Pork fat may be chunked, ground, or rendered into lard. Any or all cuts may be ground for sausage — let us know your preference at drop-off.
Several pork cuts can be smoked — hams, hocks, chops, and bacon are the most common. If you'd like any cuts smoked, let us know at drop-off and we'll make note of it on your sheet. Smoked cuts add processing time, so plan ahead.
We'll go through each section of the hog. Here's what each one covers.
The top center of the hog — chops, roasts, and tenderloin all come from here.
The underside of the hog — where bacon, spare ribs, and side pork come from.
Upper front shoulder — great for roasting, smoking, or pulling.
Lower front shoulder — roasts, cutlets, and picnic bacon.
The rear leg — the most versatile section, with raw and smoked options for roasts, steaks, and sliced ham.
Any cuts you choose not to keep whole can be ground for sausage or ground pork. This includes trim from every section — you won't lose that meat, it just takes a different form.
Choose 1 lb, 1½ lb, or 2 lb packages for ground pork. Same options apply to bulk sausage.
Ask us about sausage options at drop-off. We can discuss seasoning, style (bulk, links, patties), and any special requests.
Pork fat is a valuable by-product — don't throw it away. Let us know at drop-off how you'd like it handled.
Fat cut into chunks and packaged — good for rendering at home or adding to ground meat.
Fat ground and mixed into your sausage or ground pork for a specific fat-to-lean ratio.
Ask about rendered lard — a traditional cooking fat that's making a comeback in home kitchens.
An Iowa Chop is a thick-cut bone-in chop — typically 1" to 1¼" thick. It's a heartier cut great for the grill. A standard Pork Chop is thinner (½" or ¾") and cooks faster.
A boneless chop that's been cut open and laid flat, doubling its surface area. It cooks evenly and fast — great for stuffing or pan-frying.
Yes — you can mix and match. Common smoked options include hams, hocks, chops, and belly bacon. Let us know your preferences at drop-off.
Any cuts you choose not to keep can be ground for sausage or ground pork. Nothing goes to waste — it just takes a different form.
We have one option: regular brown sugar bacon. It's not as sweet as most store-bought bacon.
All fresh cuts — chops, roasts, ground pork, and bacon — are automatically your own animal coming back to you. When you bring your hog in, please make sure it is clean and well-prepared to avoid additional cleaning charges.
Have questions before drop-off? Give us a call and we'll walk you through the process.